American Jihadist

Isa Abdullah Ali is a devout Muslim who is classified as a "known terrorist" by the United States Defense Department and openly acknowledges he's taken up arms for "the pleasure of God by taking a stand to help the ill treated and oppressed." But Ali is not from Iraq or Afghanistan -- he was born Calvin Raphael Holt and grew up in the slums of Washington D.C. After converting to Islam and changing his name, Ali fought in support of what he believes is the Muslim cause in Bosnia and Lebanon, and he still speaks out in defense of his faith even after being injured a number of times in battle. But what transformed Holt into Ali, and why is he still willing to die (and to kill) for Islam? Filmmaker Mark Claywell explores the life and time of Ali and lets himspeak for himself about his beliefs and his actions in the documentary American Jihadist. American Jihadist won the Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2010 Slamdance Film Festival.

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Isa Abdullah Ali is a devout Muslim who is classified as a "known terrorist" by the United States Defense Department and openly acknowledges he's taken up arms for "the pleasure of God by taking a stand to help the ill treated and oppressed." But Ali is not from Iraq or Afghanistan -- he was born Calvin Raphael Holt and grew up in the slums of Washington D.C. After converting to Islam and changing his name, Ali fought in support of what he believes is the Muslim cause in Bosnia and Lebanon, and he still speaks out in defense of his faith even after being injured a number of times in battle. But what transformed Holt into Ali, and why is he still willing to die (and to kill) for Islam? Filmmaker Mark Claywell explores the life and time of Ali and lets himspeak for himself about his beliefs and his actions in the documentary American Jihadist. American Jihadist won the Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the 2010 Slamdance Film Festival.